DEP: National Recreational Trails Program

The Recreational Trails Program (RTP) is an assistance program of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). RTP is administered through the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP). Recreational Trails Program funds may be used for:

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Construction of new trails (motorized and non-motorized).
Maintenance and restoration of existing recreational trails (motorized and non-motorized).
Access to trails by persons with disabilities.
Purchase and lease of trail construction and maintenance equipment.
Acquisition of land or easements for a trail, or for trail corridors.
Operation of educational programs to promote safety and environmental protection as related to recreational trails.

DEEP may award grants to private nonprofit organizations, municipalities and state departments. Sponsors may submit proposals for any of the permitted uses as listed. Grant amounts vary.

The 2011 grant round - On Monday, May 9, 2011 The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) issued a full year of FY 2011 Obligation Authority at our 2010 level. DEEP and our Recreational Trails Advisory Committee (RTAC) are currently working with FHWA to obligate all funds before this September. Due to this condensed timeframe and to insure funding is not withdrawn due to recissions, CT will not hold a grant round specifically for these funds, rather, will be allocating funds to those proposals not funded but highly ranked from our last round. CT's RTP has been over requested by approximately 2million dollars for the last 5 years.

2012 grant round - Closed on September 1, 2011. Read our press release. These proposals will be ranked and held aside in the event that funding becomes available. DEEP typically learns of available funding with the beginning of a new federal fiscal year (October). Applicants will be notified as soon as and if funds become available.

Please visit: www.americantrails.org/rtp for details and how you can help preserve the RTP as part of a new federal transportation bill.

RTP funding approval timeline (typical):
June 1 - RFP is announced with a September 1st deadline.
October - December: Proposals are assessed and ranked by The RTAC.
December - March: SHPO, FHWA (including CT DOT State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) Process) give DEEP approvals and authorization to release RTP funds.

Once the funds are released, all awardees will enter into contract agreements with DEEP to receive the grant funding. Please remember that RTP grants are reimbursable (see Guidance Document above), therefore, no work for which applicants wish to be reimbursed can begin until recipients have received an official signed contract from the DEEP.

Some of the funded recreational trail projects are posted on the CT Forest & Park Association's Walk CT website. Take a look for a trail near you!

If you have any further questions please feel free to contact Laurie Giannotti at (860) 424-3578 or by email at laurie.giannotti@ct.gov